total war rome ii emperor edition faction map

The core of a Roman army will be the manipular model of sword wielding Hastati and Principes and Triarii spears supported by modest melee cavalry and decent auxiliaries based on region. Note that 4s are the most cost efficient and are only unlocked at tier four. For most purposes the patrol line is sufficient and it does not consume food. There are two Naval recruitment lines, a Military one which recruits Roman 5s, 6s and artillery ships and a Patrol line which recruits auxiliary 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s. The Siege chain has three tiers and provides a range of artillery. This building line will provide the backbone of your armies that then get rounded out by auxiliaries. The Roman line provides the core melee infantry, Velites and melee cavalry. Note that the House of Cornelia sub-faction reduces Auxiliary upkeep by 50% making these troops a very attractive prospect. It rarely adds any new units at tier four. This line provides lighter spears, melee and missiles and the bulk of cavalry variety. The Auxiliary line provides a unique mechanism by allowing the recruitment of units based on the region in which the building resides. There is one Army building chain with two lines. It also means that second tier Roman barracks can recruit Evocati Cohort in the late game so high tier buildings are not required to get the late units. This means early units can persist and retain experience through to the end of the campaign. It is also a roster that goes through a major shift from the classic Hastati-Principes-Triarii model to the Legionary model as a result of upgrades unlocked by technology. The Roman army is unique in that it is made up of a core of Roman troops supported by auxiliaries recruited from local regions. Barbarian factions can reach this level far quicker than other cultures: Greeks, Eastern and Romans need over twice as much research effort to unlock. The Late phase represents the fourth tier of recruitment which typically provides a small number of elite units, some of which would otherwise only have been available as general bodyguards.

Many campaigns may not end up going beyond this level. This phase is quite accessible and can be reached without dedication for every faction except Rome and Carthage who have a higher research requirement and will rely on auxiliaries and mercenaries more. The fourth tier of secondary buildings unlocks here although in many cases it doesn’t provide new units.

The Middle phase, the third tier of primary recruitment buildings, provides the bulk of most factions units and generally rounds out the army roster. In this phase, mercenaries can provide great benefit through filling gaps or higher tier units. These will generally be lighter troops, basic missiles and some signature units like hoplites for Greeks or horse archers for Nomads. It will also include the third tier of the secondary (auxiliary, mercenary or missiles) lines for Greek and Romans as these are available much quicker than the primary.

The Early phase of the military progression includes the first two levels of primary recruitment buildings and includes the base settlement recruitment. The campaign will be viewed in three phases of military progression, regardless of each factions recruitment model. It looks at research progression, recruitment model and the rosters of a faction and how that affects the way a campaign may play out. This guide provides overviews of the military aspects of each faction in the game.

Nomads – Massagetae, Roxolani and Royal Scythia.

Celts – Arverni, Nervii, Boii, Tylis and Galatia.

Eastern and Desert Kingdom Faction Overview.

Total war rome ii emperor edition faction map